


To the End of the Line

by re2d2



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Death, F/M, Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 11:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8100094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/re2d2/pseuds/re2d2
Summary: A mission goes very wrong.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Pairing: Bucky x Reader
> 
> Summary: A mission gone wrong.
> 
> Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Death, Language? 
> 
> A/N: This is my second fic I’ve ever written and my first Bucky fic, so please go easy on me lol

****It was supposed to be just like any other mission. It should have been a quick in and out of a Hydra base to get some information on their other bases. No amount of training could have prepared me for the sight before my eyes. My friend. My teammate. An Avenger lying lifeless on the ground, blood seeping out of their uniform, staining the fabric and pooling beneath them. No one thought that the mission could ever go this wrong, and I am the one to blame.

**24 hours ago**

“Ms. Y/L/N, Mr. Rogers has requested your presence in the debriefing room” I heard FRIDAY announce. 

“Let him know I’ll be there in a few minutes” I replied softly, trying not to wake up the body sleeping soundly next to me. I felt movement beside me and looked to my side to see Bucky was slowly stirring awake. It has been a little over a year since the Civil War between Tony and Steve had occurred. 

During the fight, Clint had come to me, asking for my help. After working with him for several years before SHIELD’s destruction, I knew that I was able to trust him. Clint knew I would help him during important times and vice versa. What he refused to mention was what he needed help on. As soon as I found out that Bucky had been wrongly framed and the deal with the accords, I had made up my mind to stay with them and help prove Bucky’s innocence. What I did not account for was developing feelings for a certain 99 year old supersoldier. I don’t know at what point I fell, but I did and ever since then I would always side with and protect him. When Bucky had gone into cryogenic freeze, I didn’t argue. I knew this was what Bucky wanted and who was I to deny him the right to choose his own path.

A year later, T’Challa and his group of scientists had claimed to find a cure to get rid of Bucky’s triggers that enabled him into The Winter Soldier. Although Tony still detested Bucky for killing his mother, he let him and the rest of Team Cap back into the Avengers Compound. The Avengers may have been broken for a while, but they all slowly started to repair themselves. At the same time, Bucky and I had become closer to each other and almost inseparable. 

“What are you thinking so deeply about?” asked Bucky, sleepily, and snapping me out of my thoughts. I turn my head and look into his blue eyes and a feeling of warmth and love spreads throughout my body. 

“Nothing. Just thinking about what a long way we’ve come” I smiled at him fondly and turn to wrap my arms around him, only to be interrupted by FRIDAY.

“Ms. Y/L/N. Mr. Barnes. Mr. Rogers says it is of urgent matter to make your way to the debriefing room,” FRIDAY’s voice once again sounding through the room.  

Not wanting to have Steve come down personally to get us, I slowly made my way out of bed as Bucky reluctantly let go of me. “It’s supposed to be our day off, Doll,” Bucky groaned.

I looked at Bucky as I started to change my clothes and rolled my eyes. “Did you really think we would get a day off, Buck?”

“It doesn’t hurt to hope” Bucky says as he gets up and smacks my ass as he makes his way to the bathroom. “I’ll meet you up there”

“Don’t take too long. You know Steve will come down and get you himself” I chuckled. I made my way out of the door and made my way to the debriefing room. As I entered the room, I saw that only Steve and Nat were the only ones in the room.

“Where’s everyone else?” I asked, while taking a seat at the conference table.

“Fury has them on a mission in Argentina to fight against a terrorist attack” Nat replied. I look over to Steve to see him looking over a file, deep in concentration. 

Bucky’s footsteps were heard entering the room, effectively breaking Steve’s concentration and standing as Bucky takes a seat next to you. 

“I know we all just got back from a mission yesterday, but Fury has gotten word that there is a HYDRA base we need to infiltrate and get information from,” Steve starts off. “Nat, Y/N. You both are going to come with me as cover. Bucky you are going to stay in the Quinjet as our surveillance and a quick get away.” 

I saw Bucky’s shoulders slump in disappointment beside me and couldn’t help but feel bad for him. Ever since Bucky awoke from cryogenic freeze, Tony and Steve preferred Bucky staying away from the action when HYDRA was involved. Although the scientists in Wakanda claimed to remove the triggers from Bucky’s mind, some of the Avengers were wary of Bucky being around the organization that brainwashed him. Sensing Bucky’s disappointment, I spoke up.

“Why doesn’t Bucky go in with us?” I asked. Steve looked at me as if I had grown another head and Nat opened her mouth, beginning to argue.

“Before you say anything, don’t you think Bucky deserves to be part of taking them down?” I continued. 

“Y/N.”  Bucky began before I cut him off. 

“No, Bucky” I said as I turned to him “You’ve been on many missions before, and nothing fucking happened. Plus it’s not like you can’t hold your own. T’Challa got rid of the triggers, so nothing bad can happen. You shouldn’t be left behind just because HYDRA is involved.”

“Y/N does have a point, Steve” Nat finally spoke up, shocking me and Bucky considering the fact she was one of the Avengers that was wary about Bucky being so close to HYDRA . 

“It’s okay. Really. I can stay back and do surveillance,” Bucky said, wanting to just shift the attention away from him. 

“Honestly, Steve, maybe we should let Bucky go in instead. T’Challa did say that the triggers should be out and that The Winter Soldier won’t be a problem for us anymore” Nat continues. I looked over to Steve and pulled out the puppy eyes, knowing that he always falls for them.

“Alright. Me, Y/N, and Buck will go in, and Nat, you stay in the Quinjet,” Steve caved. “Suit up and we’ll meet back at the jet in twenty.” Steve and Bucky make their way out of the room, and before I can leave, Nat pulls me aside and asks, “Are you sure letting Bucky go in is a good idea?”  
“I trust him, Nat. He’s not the Winter Soldier anymore, and he needs this no matter how much he says he doesn’t mind.” I replied.  
“Alright then. Now let’s go kick some Hydra ass.”

* * *

 

As I walk into my room, I see Bucky getting his gear and weapons and preparing for the mission facing away from me the entire time. I start to get ready myself, letting the silence take over.

“You didn’t have to do that, doll.” Bucky said, finally speaking since I entered the room.  

“I didn’t have to, but I did it. After everything, you deserve to be there. Wait. Did you want to go in?” I asked, finally realizing that I failed to even ask Bucky what he wanted.

Bucky hesitated for a few seconds, trying to figure out what he wanted to say.

“Shit, Bucky. You should’ve stopped me if you didn’t want to go in”

Bucky turned and made his way to me. “Steve has done so much for me doll. The least I could do was follow the punk’s orders,” he said as he pulled me into him and kissed the top of my head.

“Bucky Barnes, are you going soft?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood.  
“Doll, I became soft the moment I met you.”

As Bucky pulled away, he became serious once again. “I really need this Y/N. I have to prove to everyone I’m not a weapon of mass destruction, that I’m capable of doing good.”

“You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, Buck. What you did all those years, you didn’t have a choice.” 

“I know, but I still did it.” Bucky replied tightly, immediately putting an end to the conversation. “Let’s go. Steve’s probably already waiting for us,” he said as he smacked my ass, once again, as we make our way to the jet.

* * *

 

You could feel Bucky's fist tighten and relax against his thigh, his face pensive. Steve has the same brooding look crossing his eyes, his brows pinched in thought. Nat sits silently next to Steve, her neck craning to check the Quinjet's monitors with a steady gaze, her fingers quickly tweaking a dial before casting her eyes back out to the sky in front of her.

“We’re almost there, guys. Should be about ten more minutes,” Nat informs everyone. 

I feel Bucky tense up once again and slide my hand into his. “Everything is going to be fine” I reassure him. “It’s just a simple in and out mission.”

After reassuring Bucky for a few moments, I felt some of the tension and uneasiness slowly release from his body but not entirely, mostly due to the fact that he was a trained soldier always ready to fight. I look up to him from our hands to see him staring back at me. His steel grey eyes were shining with adoration and a hint of caution. 

Before I could say anything else, Nat’s voice rang through the Quinjet informing us that we should buckle up and prepare to land. Once we land, I head over to Nat as Bucky and Steve get their gear and get ready.

“You ready, pal?” Steve asks Bucky, making sure whether or not Bucky really was prepared to face HYDRA once again.

“Like you said before, Steve, it’s just a simple in and out mission” Bucky reassured Steve, while trying to reassure himself. Although there was nothing to worry about, Bucky could not help but feel on edge about being face to face to the organization that had brainwashed him and turned him into a deadly assassin. Bucky looks over to Y/N as she continues to talk to Nat about the mission, feeling a slight smile form on his face.

“She really is something special,” Steve looks over to the two agents deep in conversation. “Never thought I would see the day that James Buchanan Barnes would ever fall in love,” he continues as he puts his hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “I’m happy for you, pal.”

Bucky glances over at Steve and says, “She’s too good for me. Even after all the nightmares and knowing what I did, she’s still here.”

“You deserve it, pal.” Steve replies before he goes to let the women know they were ready. “Okay, Nat. You stay and are our eyes and backup in case anything goes wrong. Y/N. Bucky. Let’s go.”

The three of us make our way off the Quinjet, with our weapons ready to go. We slowly make our way to the front of the HYDRA base, trying to find an opening that we can use to get inside. 

Nat’s voice appears in our coms letting us know which area would be the best place to enter. “There is a door on the right side of the building that has one guard. It’s pretty far from the room you need to get into but an easy way in.”

I look at Cap and wait for him to give a signal on whether or not we should take that route. He nods and let’s Nat know that we were going to enter through that door. Before we can go in, we had to get rid of the HYDRA agent standing guard with his machine gun. “Bucky. It’s your shot” Steve says, trying to involve his best friend in the mission as much as he can. 

Bucky moves up closer and crouches down into the bushes where he can avoid being detected. He aims his rifle, with a silencer on the front, at the guard and takes him out. He waits a few moments to make sure the coast is clear and signals to me and Cap to join him. We make our way into the building and keep a look out for any other guards. Cap has his shield out and ready in the front with Bucky and his rifle aimed downwards with the safety off. I trail behind them both with my hands ready to grab a knife from one of the holsters on my bodysuit in case of an attack. We stayed quiet, to make sure no one hears us, the only noise coming from Nat into our coms giving us directions.  
Oddly enough, we make it to a large room without any interference or trouble. 

The three of us make our way into the middle of the room and Nat’s voice cuts in once again. “The computer room that has the information is in the room in front of you. Be careful guys. Something doesn’t feel right.”  
Steve looks at us and says, “Buck, you and I will stay out here to stand guard. Y/N, you know what to do.”

“Got it Cap,” I say as I make my way to the door. I slowly push the door open and notice that the room was left unguarded. This mission felt too easy, which gave me an uneasy feeling. Surely we should have run into some sort of guard by now. As I make my way to the device and connect my USB to access the information, I hear a gunshot ring out in the other room. As much as my instinct told me to go check and make sure the two super soldiers were all right, Nat’s voice rings through my ears saying, “Y/N, you need to focus on getting the information. The boys can handle their own.”

A few moments pass by and the device is still downloading the content onto the drive, when I heard the room outside become louder. I heard loud grunts and gunshots ringing through the room when all of a sudden I hear a scream that I knew all too well from the nightmares he suffered, except worse. It belonged to Bucky. Once the information finishes downloading onto the drive, I book my way out of the room to go check on my teammates. As I walk into the room, I hear Steve’s grunts as he tries to fight off a bunch of HYDRA agents and Bucky whimpering on the ground yet trying to get up and fight. A bunch of HYDRA guards surrounded the room and a strange man in the middle holding a red book with a black star on it. As I got a good look at the book, my heart stopped beating. It was _the_ book. The book that contained the words that triggered Bucky and turned him into the Winter Soldier. The words the scientists in Wakanda had worked so hard to remove, but the scene in front of me proving otherwise. I start to run and make my way to Bucky, only to be grabbed by HYDRA agents that were preventing me from moving.

“грузовой автомобиль” said the man holding the book, and all of a sudden everything went silent. Bucky stopped moving and then stands up after a few moments of silence. “солдат?” continued the man.

“готовы соблюдать” replied Bucky, and in that moment, all hell broke loose. 

I break free from my captors’ hold and elbow the guard holding me on the right while simultaneously sending a swift kick to the one on the left, taking them down.  I take out my combat knife and prepare myself and begin to fight any agents that came at me. The agents seemed to be surrounding the place, more than what is normal for two people to take. I look over at Steve to see him fighting his own group of HYDRA agents and attempt to make my way over, only to be stopped. I faintly hear Nat in my comm say “Guys, what is happening? Y/N. Are you there?”

“Kind of busy right now Nat,” I try to respond while fighting the guy in front of me. He comes at me once again, and I jump up and put him in a chokehold that Nat helped me perfect. Once I feel him stop struggling, I get up and notice that the strange man talking to Bucky as if he’s giving him instructions. I go to help Steve out and we begin to fight the HYDRA agents back to back. Steve uses his shield to defend himself and as a weapon, while I use my training to knock out the guys one by one. Behind three soldiers I notice the strange man beginning to walk away from Bucky, who has a blank and deadly look on his face and begin to make his way out of the room.

“Steve!” I yell as I duck another punch and retaliate. “He’s leaving,” I said as I knock the  guy out and onto the ground.

“Y/N, you go find the guy in charge. I got it here” trying to be the hero once again and convinced he can handle a dozen HYDRA agents and the Winter Soldier, who was beginning to make his way towards Steve.

After hesitating for a bit, I knock out the last agent standing in my way and run after the strange man, slightly wondering why the Winter Soldier let me go after the man in charge of him. I run through the hallway only to come to a stop when I see two paths. “Nat, can you tell me if there’s any heat signatures coming near where I am.”

Nat’s voice quickly responds and she says “Take the right path. He’s headed towards an exit. “

I take the right and begin running. I pick up my speed noticing that he’s almost at the exit. Before he’s able to reach the door, I grab his jacket from the back and slam him into the wall, the familiar red book falling from his hold.

“What did you do?” I asked him with venom evident in my voice.

“What should have been done a long time ago. I sent him on a mission to go after your Avenger friend and then you. You’ll never be able to stop him” he said in a thick Russian accent.

As much as this frightened me, I knew I had to show no fear.

“You’re going to tell me how to stop it before I hit you” I commanded.

“Did you really think I was going to help the Avengers? All I have to say to you is Hail Hydra” and with that, his mouth starts foaming and the next thing I knew, his body went limp.

“Fuck!” I exclaimed as the Russian man’s body fell onto the floor.

"Y/N. What happened?" Nat asks.

"He killed himself. I have to go help Steve, Nat. Just have the jet ready in case. The Winter Soldier is back" I replied as I started making my way down the hall and back to Steve.

I run down the halls as fast my legs would take me, hoping there was still a chance to bring back Bucky. I make it into the big room and see Steve fighting off not only Bucky but several HYDRA agents. Mid-fight, Bucky spots me and commands the other agents in Russian. “Go after her. This one is mine.”

The HYDRA agents make their way to me and I prepare myself to fight. I take out my combat knife. The next moments were filled with kicks and punches and grunts. At one point, an agent grabs me from behind as I fight one ahead of me. I push up and kick the guy in the front and stabbed the one behind me right in the thigh. He immediately let go and I use this opportunity to roundhouse kick him and knock him out. I pick my knife out of the man’s thigh, blood gushing out of his wound. I sense the guy that I kicked earlier coming back for me and I duck and elbow him in the back of the head, effectively knocking him out.

I faintly hear Steve’s grunts and turn to look at him, only to be met with the site of Bucky on top of him and punching him. I go to help and take Bucky off of him, but before I could reach them, I’m lifted off the ground by a pair of arms. It was impossible for me to get loose, the man’s grip was too tight. All I could do now was watch as I struggle to get free.

Bucky keeps pounding at Steve, marking his face black and blue with bruises and not stopping. Steve says “Bucky. It’s me, Steve. You know me.”

I keep struggling and hear “No, I don’t” with another punch to Steve’s face.

“Bucky, stop!” I yell out, only to be ignored.

Bucky’s fist refused to stop, pummeling and damaging Steve’s face beyond recognition.

“B-buck, please...don’t do this.” Steve reaches out for his shield, only for Bucky to knock it out of his grasp, leaving him completely defenseless. I continue to struggle, still being met with resistance and a feeling of hopelessness growing inside of me.

“I am not your friend. You are my mission,” Bucky says with one last punch to Steve’s face before standing up to retrieve his shield. With one last hit to Steve’s face with the shield, his body lay limp and lifeless.

**Now**

It was supposed to be just like any other mission. It should have been a quick in and out of a Hydra base to get some information on their other bases. No amount of training could have prepared me for the sight before my eyes. My friend. My teammate. An Avenger lying lifeless on the ground, blood seeping out of their uniform, staining the fabric and pooling beneath them. No one thought that the mission could ever go this wrong, and I am the one to blame. Captain America was now dead because of me. The man I saw hovering over Steve's body was not the man I knew. He was not the man I loved. He was a stone cold killer. A weapon.

“Y/N. Y/N! What’s going on!? Speak to me!” Nat screams from my earpiece, but all I can hear is an odd ringing. My limbs becoming weak and boneless.

The HYDRA agent finally lets me go and I drop to my knees, feeling helpless and not knowing what to do. With whatever strength I can gather, I get up and turn. I aim for his nuts as hard as I can, taking my frustrations out on him. I put him in a headlock and stay that way until his body passes out from lack of oxygen. Now, it’s just me and Bucky left standing.

Bucky turns from the body of his best friend and sets his gaze on me.

“Bucky?” I ask hesitantly, hoping I can jog some sort of feeling.

“Who the hell is Bucky?” He responds, making his way towards me.

This was the moment I knew I had to fight for my life. He quickly makes his way towards me, attempting to lunge at me. Knowing his fighting style, I was able to duck his attack and find myself dodging every one of his attacks. I knew I had to try to fight him, but I just couldn't. He looked like Bucky, but it was The Winter Soldier. Gone was the playful Bucky I knew, and in his place was the thing he feared the most. Nat's voice fills my ears again "Y/N. You need to get out of there. That's not Barnes anymore."

I knew she was right. As much as it pained me, I had to get away if I didn't want to end up like Steve.

While dodging Bucky's attacks, I try to come up with an exit strategy. I can easily get to an exit, but what happens if the Winter Soldier catches up to me before I get to the jet?

Although he is a super soldier, he is still a man. I managed to knee him in his crotch region, buying me a little time. I run towards the exit, only to have my hair pulled back and being thrown onto the ground, with Bucky on top of me. "Bucky, baby, you can fight this" I pleaded. His fist hesitated for a fraction of a second before coming down onto my face. I feel the force of his hit, knocking my face to the side and splitting my lip. I can taste the blood in my mouth. His hits don't stop and all I feel is pain. I try to fight him. "Bucky, please." I wheeze out.

"My name is not Bucky," he replied.

Punch. Punch. Before he was able to land another punch, I move myself away as much as I can and try to push him off me. Unfortunately, I was too weak to do so. He picks me up by the collar of my suit and throws me against a wall. I know for sure he cracked some ribs if not broken a few. I tried so hard to pick myself up, but I couldn't. Bucky walks over to me and all I can do was watch him as he gets closer and closer.

He picks me up roughly and slams me against the war. "James" I whisper, trying one more time to make him remember something, anything. "Please. Stop it, James” I cry out.

This seemed to have no effect on him because he brings his hands up to my neck and starts applying pressure. My reflexes take over and I bring my own hands up to meet his and to pull them off. His grip was too strong and I was slowly becoming weaker and weaker. It was becoming harder to breathe.

"Bucky, I love you," I say and then -

**Bucky POV**

"I love you" is the first thing I hear when I regain consciousness and what I hear come from her month before she goes limp in my hands. I let go of her in shock and her body falls towards me, which i promptly catch.

"No," I yell out.

I lay her body to the ground, hugging her and trying to wake her. “No no no no. Wake up, doll. Come on. Y/N." I continue, slightly patting her cheek, hoping it will wake her up, but it doesn't.

This was worse than the nightmares that plagued me since escaping HYDRA. This pain was worse than when I fell off the train. This pain was nothing like what I've felt before. The only other person in the world who understood me besides Steve, gone. I feel the tears making their way out of my eyes and rolling down my face, refusing to stop. I hold on to her and kiss her forehead gently.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N. I told you I would always protect you" I cried out into her hair. "I love you so much" I sniffle.

I look for Steve to try and figure out what happened, but when I find him, I can feel the hole in my heart growing bigger. I lay Y/N's body gently onto the ground and slowly make my way to Steve. His eyes lay open and void of any life. I fall to my knees beside him and reach up to close his eyes, tears streaming down my face onto his.

 ****"Steve" I whisper out to no one. "I'm so sorry, punk. I was supposed to be with you till the end of the line."

I touch his face, feeling the warmth that was once there now cold. He must've been there for a while. He's my best friend. And I killed him. We were there for each other from the beginning of our time and it only took some jackass and the red book to end it all. Y/N's death didn't even amount to the same pain that I feel when looking at Steve. The two people who always believed in me, killed by me. I reach for Steve's bloody com.

I speak into it saying "Natasha, we need you in here now ," and throw the com to the side.

 ****I get up and make my way out of the room, looking back and choking out a sob. With that, I left the compound and walked until I couldn't anymore.

**Nat's POV**

I hear Barnes' voice break through the communication system, telling me he needed backup. The last time I heard someone speak into the coms, Barnes was back in soldier mode, so this was a shock to me. I guess Rogers and Y/N were able to get him back to normal. Although I was slightly confused why he needed back up, I make my way to the room that the three agents were in. Even though the base seemed silent, I stay cautious and slowly make my way to the room. At first, when I near the door, I did not see any sign of Barnes or the other two. When I walk in, that’s a whole different story. Among the dozens and dozens of HYDRA agents lying on the floor, I notice that Rogers and Y/N were there as well. I stand frozen and shocked. My teammates and friends were gone, and Barnes is missing. It didn’t take long for me to connect the dots.

I stood there motionless letting out a tear for my fallen comrades. I had to be strong and get my emotions out now, because when I get back, I don't know what to expect from everyone else. I have no idea how long the HYDRA agents would be out for so I quickly take the bodies out to the jets one by one. Before starting up the Quinjet, I walk over to my two friends. I just carried two of my friends’ bodies back and I couldn’t keep it in. I let the sorrow that I was feeling out until I got myself calm. I get up and head to the front and fly us back home.

* * *

 

When I get back, I’m surprised to see that the other Avengers were already back. With a heavy heart, I made my way into the common room where everyone was relaxing. I was still in my combat gear and when I entered the room, everyone’s eyes were on me. How could I tell all of these smiling and happy faces how wrong the mission went?

“Guys, something happened on the mission” I decided to start off with.

I tell them everything that happened, from the conversation I had with Y/N before going into what I found in the room. Everyone is silent, trying to process everything. Wanda lets out a sob and some of them let out a few tears. No one knows how to respond. How can they? Tony gets up, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“Where are you going?” I ask him.

“We have funerals to plan and a man to find” he replies.

With that, he leaves the rest of us still stuck in our seats. This is one mission that none of us will get over soon.


End file.
